Automatic train-hose coupling.



J. F. McBLROY. AUTOMATIC TRAIN HOSE COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED 1'23.14, 1907.

Patented May 24, 1910.

- 2 sums-sans: 1.

J. F. McELROY.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN HOSE COUPLING.

'APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 14,1907. I I I 959,152. Patented May 24,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Qu Em.

UNITED STA ES PATENT orruon.

JAMES F. Mammy, or ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR r coivsomnarnn CAB/HEAT-mo comranz, or ALBANY, NEW. YORK, A conrona'rron or wEs'r VIRGINIA.

AU'roM'Arrc TRAIN-HOSE courrnno Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented May 24, 1910.

a lication filed February 14, 1907. serial na sszasz.

. To it may omen z:-

Bait-known that" I, JAMESF: MCElLROY,

' a. citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county ofAlbany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful'Improvements in Automatic Train-Hose Couplers, of which the following isa specification.-

This invention relates to straight-port automatic pipe-couplersforrailway-ears in -which the port-faces are transverse to the longitudinalline of the car and the pressure for holding mating heads in contact isex-' erted a-long'said longitudinal line. My-invention provides animproved combination of guiding lrorns whereby the heads are broughtinto and kept in contact as well '91s certain 1mproved details ofconstruction more fully pointed out hereinafter.

Of the accompanying drawings, Flgurel represents a perspective view ofone of my improved coupler-heads applied to the end of a car. Fig. 2 reresents a side elevation showing two 'coup er-heads connected together.Fig. 3. represents a plan View. of

the connected coupler-heads. Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive represent detailviews of one'of-the coupler-heads, Fig. 4 being a plan, Fig. 13

an elevation of the latch" side, Fig. 6 an end view, Fig. 7am elevationof the side oppo site the latch, and F ig. 8 a horizontal vlew partly insection to show the latch spring.

10, 10 are the draw-bars of two connecting cars with car-couplers 11, 11on the ends thereof.

12, 12 are brackets fixed to the draw-bars for supporting thepipe-couplers and inclined downwardly and' forwardly.

The manner of attaching bracket to drawbar by means of staples 13 shownat the left of Fig. 2 is preferred as avoidinmperiora- I tion of thedraw-bar. Mounting the pipe- ,cars, and thus reduces very considerablythe coupler T heads directly on the draw bars causes the heads tobeautomatically brought into alinement by thoaction of coupling thenecessary width of the gniding-wingsor horns provided on thepipe-coupler heads.

' lower end-of-brackct 12.

. The pipe-couplerheads are representedat 14, 14: and each is mounted atthe end of a bar or stem 15 movable in a socket atthe 'lhe coupler; stemand socket are each plane-faced or rectangular, but sufiicient/play ispermitted toallow for a slight twisting motion and more or I -'Each head14 has on fixed guiding-wings or horns 26 for bringing-the compleinentalgaskets into aline- 'jment, said horns having their outer ends lessuniversal angular swing of the heads to compensate for relativemovements of cars. Each stem has a rear. shoulder 16 to limit-theforward movement of the head, and a heavy springl'i surrounds said stembetween the couplcr-head and thebracket 12 to normally.

ler-head is suspended by a chain 18 from a flat spring-arm 19 attachedto the bracket 12 whereby the weight 'of the heads is flexi- -blysustained.

- 20, 21, 22 are the flexible hose connections of the varioustrain-pipes, such steam,

air-brake, and air-signal, attached to branches which-are cast with theheads 14,

and terminating in a vertical row of gas- ,kets 23,24, 25 on theconnecting faces of the heads. w

one side a pair of flared or slanted to the line of coupling movementfor affording the requisite shearing or cam action, and furthermoreatthe root of each horn is an-abutn'ient or shoulder 27 parallel to thecoupling movement. Preferably the horns are extended as shown somewhatover and under as wellas at the side of the space for the entrance ofthe mating coupler head so as to afford alinement ina vertical as wellas a horizontal direction.

On the side of each head, opposite the space between the fixed horns 26is mounted a yielding locking number or horuin the forln'oi a latch 28pivoted on a hinge 2921i; its rear end and having a flared or slantingportion 30 at its forniu'd end. The latch' is engaget'lbetween its twoends by the head of a'lateral bplt. 31 having a spring which occupies asocket. in the coupler-head and swings the latch inwardly against thebody of said head. The latch is also formed with V-shaped recesses 33onopposite sides of a horizontal alining' rib 34 and each head has apair of eomplemental V-shaped lugs or projections 35 located on theopposite side from thelatch between the horns Qtiand adapted to occupythe recesses 33 in the latch of the eomplemental cou ler-head. These proectns are separated y aspace to re- 1cevlei the alining-rib 34 of theco'r'nplemental The special arrangement of fixed horns,

( movable horn or latch, and latch-locking.

projections, wherein the latch is located opposite the space between thefixed horns, and the V-shaped projections are situated in said space,afi'ords a compact and otherwise ad'- va'ntageous disposition of theparts. The three-pronged arrangement of horns balances side-thrusts sothat no twisting strain is imparted when the heads come together.

hen cars equipped with these pipecoupler heads are brought together theinchned faces of the fixed horns and the movable latch operate to securea proper alinement' of the port faces into a "straight port coupledrelation, and the heavy springs 17 yield to'pern'iit this engagement andfurnish the, endwise ress'ure which holds the gaskets together in afluid-tight relation. The'spring-latch 28 on each coupler-head yieldsduring this engagement and snap s pver the retaining projections 35 onthe opposite head so that whenfully' engaged the latches act in acapacity. auxiliary to the main springs l, maintaining a per-- ing thecoupler-heads together.

I find that. the presence of the yielding latch mountedfland related tothe parts as,

described results in tighter fluid-joints and easier and'more accurateconnection and re lease of the coupler-heads, and the presence of thelatch reduces the strength which it" has heretofore been necessaryto'nnpart to the main spring 17. \Vhen the cars-sepa-' rate, thestop-shoulders 16 bring up against the bracketsl2 and efiectan automaticdisconnection of the .cou

time the latches 28 wil and become unlocked.

I claim,- l. A straight-port automatic train-pipe coupler head having anabutting port-face substantially at right-angles to the line of thrust,means 'for ieldmgly urgin said coupler-head in a direction atrightangles to its port'face to maintain a fluid tight ler-heads, at.which automat cally yield" jointfwith the mating head, apair'of flaredguiding horns on one side of said port-face,

and a yielding flared guiding hor'n on'the other side of said faceopposite the space hetween the first-said horns.

2.-A' straight-port automatic train-pipe l coupler head having aport-face at right-- angles to the'line of thrust, a guiding horn ononeside of said port-facehaving 21 lon tudinal shoulder at its base atright-angi s to said face and a flared end, anda yieldin guiding'hornlocated on the other sideo f I said port-face andformed as a latch to.automatically lock'and unlock with the-mating head and to force,thelatter transversely against said shoulder; 3. A coupler-head havingaport face in a plane substantiallyat right-angles to the direction ofthrust, a pair of fixed guiding horns on one s de of said port face, ayielding latch hinged at its inner end on the other side of saidport-face opposite the space between said fixed horns; and springmechan- "ism for laterally pressing said latch in- .wardly. M

4. A pipe-coupler-head having a port face 1 with a pair ofV-shapedlatch-engagin pro a space between them, and a yielding springvlatch on the opposite side of said port face.

jeetions arranged on one side thereo with formed with V-shaped recessesto receive the corresponding 1)1'OI|QCtlOI1S Of'L mating coupler-head,and an a imng-rib between said reprojections on the mating coupler-head.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscriblng witnesses, the-9th day ofFcbri-iary, 1907. JAMES F.MCELRO'Y.

Vitnesses:

lVILLIAM A. MoniuLL, Jr.

ERNEST D. J ANSEN.

soj.

cesses adapted-to enter the space between th'e j

